Cortisol has become a common target online, often blamed for a wide range of health issues, from weight gain to constant fatigue. Across social media, it is frequently portrayed as a hormone that needs to be kept low at all costs.
In a recent Instagram video, Dr Jeremy London, a cardiothoracic surgeon with over 25 years of clinical experience, addressed these concerns directly. He explained that cortisol itself is not the problem many people believe it to be. Instead, he pointed to everyday stress and modern habits as the real drivers behind health issues linked to the hormone.
Is cortisol really the villain it’s made out to be?
Dr London challenged the idea that cortisol is harmful by default. “Cortisol is not bad,” he said, responding to the growing fear around the hormone.
He noted that focusing all attention on cortisol misses the larger issue. According to him, treating cortisol as the enemy oversimplifies how the body responds to stress and distracts from the real causes of prolonged imbalance.
What cortisol actually does for your body
In the same video, Dr London explained that cortisol plays an essential role in daily life. “It helps you wake up in the morning,” he said, adding that it is part of the body’s normal stress response.
He emphasised that cortisol is meant to fluctuate naturally. Problems arise only when levels remain elevated for extended periods, which he linked to ongoing stress rather than the hormone itself.
The real problem isn’t cortisol, it’s chronic lifestyle stress
Dr London pointed out that modern routines often keep the body under constant pressure. Poor sleep, long working hours and continuous stimulation were highlighted as contributing factors. “This isn’t a cortisol problem,” he said. “It’s a lifestyle problem.”
He cautioned against fear-based messaging around cortisol, noting that it shifts attention away from addressing the habits that keep stress levels high.
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice.
